Issued: 0530hrs Tuesday 6th January 2015
Duty forecaster: Simon Keeling

Fair in eastern and southern Europe, severe gales in north on Wednesday

Tuesday
A milder but wet day across England with outbreaks of rain. That rain edges into northern France late in the day that the most of France, Belgium, Holland and Germany it should be a dry day with sunny spells. Outbreaks of snow are forecast across Norway and Sweden with sunny but cold weather expected across Finland and the Baltic States. Some rain may edge in across Denmark. Cold but dry day to come across western parts of Russia, Belarus and the Ukraine.
Outbreaks of snow are expected across Romania into Slovenia with Croatia and Serbia looking dry. Very wintry weather is expected across Turkey with heavy falls of snow expected. Still plenty of heavy showers are likely from the far south of Italy eastward across much of the eastern Mediterranean. Most of Italy though should be fine and dry with sunny spells. Fair and dry across Greece.
It will be dry as well across the Alpine Region into the Czech Republic, Poland and Hungary. The fine weather across Portugal and Spain will continue with another dry, sunny day to come. With a significant area of low pressure across Turkey, strong winds will be running down through Aegean and Adriatic Seas and across much of the eastern Mediterranean.

Wednesday
A fair day through Spain and Portugal with good spells of sunshine. A few showers over northern Italy, some of them heavy at times. Fair for Greece with more sunshine here. Heavier showers and strong winds in Turkey, the showers falling as sleet and snow in the north.
Fair in France with good spells of sunshine. Fog is likely early on, this clearing to sunshine in the afternoon. Fair through the Low Countries and northern Germany, but some showers in central Germany and Portugal. Fair for Austria, Switzerland and Hungary with sunny spells here.
Severe gales in the UK and Ireland. Fair for Denmark with sunny spells here. A band of cloud and a few showers in Norway and the Baltic States. Fair for Finland. Good spells of sunshine in Norway, but thickening cloud and increasing winds here later.